Frame support



Filed April 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //v l/ENTOR I A TTORNEV A. J. WIERFRAME SUPPORT Feb. 27, 1940.

Filed April 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M R n EX W m J 2 WuATTORNEY Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TelephoneLaboratories,

Incorporated, New

7 York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 22, 1938,Serial No. 203,531

4 Claims.

This invention relates to supports for electrical apparatus and moreparticularly to a frame type support for such apparatus.

The object of the invention is to provide a sup- 5 porting structure forelectrical apparatus parts which will require a minimum amount of floorspace, which will support wires and other electrical apparatus parts inrequired positions and so that there will be no electrical interferencebetween closely associated apparatus parts and which will facilitate therunning of Wires to the various electrical apparatus parts andmaintenance of the apparatus.

A feature of the invention resides in supports for supporting panels ofelectrical apparatus.

Another feature resides in an electrical shield associated with saidsupports.

Still other features reside in means for maintaining wires runningwithin the supports separated into required groups and in particulararrangements of apparatus parts all of which features willv besubsequently pointed out in the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in perspective of a single frame support for apparatusparts and embodying certain features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a portionof a post structure whichforms part of the support for the apparatus. The post structure is shownin exploded form to more clearly reveal details in the structure. Thispost structure is used in a multiple'frame support;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the post structure shown in Fig. 2assembled and with portions of apparatus supported on the post and withconductor wires supported within the post;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View, partly in section, of two multiple framestructures arranged back to back; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of a portion of the lower left portion of thestructure shown in Fig. 4. The invention provides a supporting'structurefor electrical apparatus parts such as are used for 4 instance interminal stations of carrier telephone systems. In such systems it iscommon practice to arrange required electrical apparatus parts in groupsand to support each group on a separate panel. The panels are supportedon a frame 50 comprising spaced upright members. Conductor wires are ledto and fromthe panels and from one panel to another to provide requiredelectrical connections between'the apparatus parts supported on thepanels and so electrically con,-

5; nect the apparatus parts into the system in the manner. required. Theconductor wires are usually led up or down the frame to the variouspanels.

Since a large number of wires is required to provide the necessaryconducting leads, it has been common practice to bind adjacently run- 5ning Wirestogether with cord to form in effect a cable, the wires beingfanned out from this cable arrangement as required to meet the (variouspanels. The binding of the wires together s commonly known as sewing andconsiderable time is 10 required in sewing the wires together. Since thewires are sewed together and form, in effect, a bundle of wires it isdifficult to find a required wire in a bundle when itbecomes necessaryto make changes; or repairs. rangement has been justified, however, toprevent the existence at the back of a frame of a mass of loose wiring.

In this invention due tothe particular structure and arrangement of thesupport, the sewing 20 of the Wires is not required. The invention,therefore, provides for this reason economies in cost of production andmaintenance.

It is well known that when wires are closely associated. one withanother in the form of a 5 has been required therefore in the groupingand 30 bundling together of the wires. v

' In this invention, means are provided in the structure to minimizetheinductance and capacitance effects between rather closely associatedwires,

It has been common practice in the mounting of apparatus parts on apanel to rather indiscriminately mount apparatus parts requiringfrequent replacement and other parts requiring practically noreplacement on the same side of a 40 panel and to have the necessarywiring interconnecting the apparatus parts located on the other side ofthe panel, the apparatus parts mounted on the one side of the panelhaving terminals projecting through the panel to the other side (thewiring side). Panels supporting the apparatus parts and theinterconnecting wiring are supported in a suitable frame structure.Cables leading to and from the panels are run up or down the back of theframe and are fanned out acrossthe back of the panel. For instance,in'the arrangement above mentioned, the apparatus parts are mounted onthe front of a panel and the terminals for the parts and the wiring aredisposed on the back of the panel, the panel The sewed wire ar- 15-being supported on a frame. This arrangement makes it necessary to haveaccess to both sides of the frame in order that parts requiring replacement may be replaced. For instance, it has been common practice tomount vacuum tubes and fixed resistances and condensers on the front ofa panel and to have the terminals therefor and the necessary connectingwires located on the rear of the panel. In such arrangements in order toreplace a burned out tube or other apparatus part that has become wornout or defective, it becomes necessary to go to the front of the supportto get at the part requiring replacement and also to go to the rear ofthe support to get at the wiring. Since in order to make requiredreplacements of apparatus parts it is necessary to have access to boththe front and the rear of the supporting structure, aisles have beenprovided between frame structures. The aisles between the framestructures are to a certain extent lost space since the space isonlyrequired in making replacements of apparatus parts.

In this invention all apparatus parts requiring replacement from time totime are supported on the front of the panel, apparatus Parts notrequiring replacement from time to time but having a relatively longlife are supported on the back of the panel and all terminals for theparts and all interconnecting Wires between the parts are located on thefront of the panel. The cables leading to and from the panels are led toand from the front of the panel. The frame, therefore, may be placedWithits back portion against a wall or in back to back relation withanother frame. This arrangement makes it unnecessary to provide an aislespace at the back of a frame or between the back portions of two frames.A considerable amount of floor space is therefore saved when theapparatus and supporting frames are arranged in the manner outlined inthis invention.

The particular arrangement of the parts on each panel permits thelocation of wires between associated apparatus parts to be run on thesame side of the panel as is occupied by the vacuum tubes. The heatgenerated by the vacuum tubes is utilized to maintain a dry atmospherein the vicinity of the wiring between the parts supported on the panel.

To further describe and point out in detail the novel features abovementioned, reference Will now be had to the drawings.

The structure shown in Fig. 1 is a single frame I comprising spacedupright posts 2 and 3 held in spaced relation by means of a foot-railstructure 4 and a top cross-bar 5. Panels indicated by a generalnumber 6and supporting various electrical apparatus parts are supported on theposts 2 and 3, the panels 6 extending transversely between the posts andbeing located one above another. The structure of the panels 6 andrelated parts and the general arrangement of the electrical apparatusparts thereon will be subsequently described.

The posts 2 and 3 are identical in structure and comprise as shown inFig. 5 an upright angle-bar 1 extending substantially the full length ofthe frame I. The angle-bar I has a front wall portion 8 and a rearwardlyextending side wall portion 9. Secured to the side wall 9 and extendingrearwardly thereof is a wall mem-- ber Ill. The wall member I0 isL-shaped in cross-section and comprises .a side wall portion II and arear wall portion I 2, the wall portion l2 extending parallel with thefront wall portion 8 of the angle-bar 7. A wall member 13 is set inspaced relation with the wall member NJ. The wall member if! has a sidewall portion l4 extending parallel with the side wall ll of the wallmember in and the side wall 9 of the angle-bar l and has an inwardlyturned edge portion l5 extending into alignment with the rear wallportion l2 of the wall member ID. The side wall portion 14 of the wallmember It extends forwardly beyond the plane of the front wall portion 3of the angle-bar "l. Angle brackets it are secured at spaced points tothe inner surface of the forwardly extending por tion of the wallportion M of the wall member l3. The angle brackets It extend inwardlyfrom the wall portion 14 and over a portion of the front wall 8 of theangle-bar i and are apertured at this point to receive screws I! whichextend into tapped holes provided in the front wall portion 8 of theangle-bar 1. The angle brackets IS serve to hold the forward portion ofthe wall it spaced from the angle-bar l. The inwardly turned edge E5 ofthe wall member l3 and an edge portion of the rear wall l2 of the wallmember iii are frictionally held in alignment by means of a clamp 18comprising a long flat bar 89 and a half-round bar 20 which are clampedabout the aligned edges of the rear wall 12 and the inwardly turned edgeI5 by means of screws 21. The screws 2| are provided at spaced intervalsalong the clamp l8 and extend through apertures provided in the flat barl9 and into tapped holes in the halfround bar 26. The shank portions ofthe screws 2d pass between the aligned edge portions of the rear wall l2and the side wall 13. It will be Seen that a substantially hollow postis cooperatively formed by the angle-bar l, the wall member ID, the wallmember l3 and the brackets I6, but that the post structure is notcompletely closed at all points at the front since the brackets l8 areprovided only at spaced intervals. The hollow post structure may be madeof metal parts constructed, as above described, or may be made of othersuitable material. One of the parts at least and preferably the wallmember l3 should be made of metal and suitably grounded in an electricalsense to provide a common electrical ground connection to take off toground any stray capacitances developed in Wires running within thehollow post structure. The wall member 13 and the brackets 16 are madeseparable from the remaining portion of the hollow post structure tofacilitate the running of wires in the hollow post and to permit thebuilding on to the frame support of a similarly constructed framesupport, the arrangement and manner of attachment of which will besubsequently described and which has previously been referred to as amultiple frame support.

Each panel 5 comprises a panel board 22 and a cover 23. The panel board22 extends transversely between the spaced upright post structures ofthe frame I and is secured thereto by means of screws 24, the screws 24passing through suitable apertures in the panel board 22 and into tappedholes provided in. the anglebar 1. Electrical apparatus parts such, forinstance, as vacuum tubes 25 and other parts requiring replacement fromtime to time are mounted as shown in Fig. 1 on the front face of ,thepanel board 22. Manual controls for certain variable electrical devicesmay also be mounted on or extended to the front of the panel board 22.Such variable electrical devices or the manual controls therefor areidentified by the number 26. Electrical apparatus parts such, forinstance, as fixed condensers and resistances and generally indicated bythe member 21 in Fig. 5 are mounted on the back of the panel board 22.parts 2'l' are extended through the panel board 22 and to the front facethereof so that all wiring between the parts mounted on the panel board22 is located in front of the panel board 22.

Extending forwardly of the panel board 22 and of the angle brackets l6and secured to the front face of the panel board 22 by means of thescrews 24 are brackets 23 the particular structure of which may be wellseen in Fig. 3. The bracket 28 as shown in this figure has triangularshaped upper and lower wall members 23 and 30 and a side wall 3!. Footportions 32 and 33 are provided on the wall members 29 and 30,respectively, to engage the front face of the panel board 22 to whichthey are secured by means of the screws 24, the foot portions beingsuitably slotted to receive the screws 24. A portion of the side wall 3!is cut out and bent inwardly to provide a tab portion 34 to which issecured by means of screws 35 a bridle ring 35. The bridle ring 36extends parallel with the panel board 22 and has two spaced ringportions adapted to receive a conductor wire 31. One or both of the ringportions of the bridle ring 36 may be used to support the conductor wire31 according to the extent desired for projection of the conductor wireover the front of the panel board 22, or as shown in Fig. 5 one ringportion may be utilized to hold one conductor wire 3'! and the otherring portion a conductor wire 33. A small L-shaped arm 39 is secured bymeans of a rivet or screw 40 to the inner face of the free end of thewall portion 3| of the bracket 28. The arm 33 has an apertured flatportion 41 extending parallel with the tab 34. The apertured flatportion 4| is equipped with lugs 42 extending toward the tab 34 andarranged to form three sides of a square receptacle to receive a nut 43.The lugs 42 are bent inwardly over the nut 43 and in cooperation withthe secured portion of the arm 39- and the head of the rivet 43 looselyhold the nut 43 in place. The nut 43 may move slightly in the squarereceptacle provided by the parts mentioned but cannot fall completelyout of place by reason of the lugs 42 and the head of the rivet 40, alsothe nut 43 cannot turn completely around because the lugs 42 are set tooclosely to the nut 43 to permit such turning movement. The tapped holein the nut is maintained substantially in register with the aperture inthe arm 39.

The bracket 28 and the nut and holding arrangement thereon abovedescribed are provided on each end of the panel board 22 and serve tohold a removable cover 23 in place over the apparatus parts supported onthe front face of the panel board 22. The cover 23 is in the form of abox, open on one face and comprising a front wall 44, end walls 45 andupper and lower walls 46. Secured to and extending inwardly of the frontwall 44 and in line with the arms 39 on the brackets 28 are cup-shapedmembers 41 the bases of which are reduced in diameter to project throughapertures in the front wall 44 of the cover. The bases of the cup-shapedmembers 41 are spun over against the outer face of the front wall 44 ofthe cover 23 to hold the cup-shaped ,members in place. The base of thecup-shaped The terminals of the member 4! is drilled and. tapped toaccommodate a bolt 48-having an enlarged male threaded end 49 on theshank portion. The threaded end 49 on the bolt 48. engages the nut 43loosely supported in the arm 39. When the bolts 48 are screwed into thenuts 43 the cover is tightly held in place against the panel board 22.Since the nuts 43 are movably supported in the arms 39 but aremaintained substantially in line with the apertures in the arms 39, thebolts 43 will readily find the nuts 43 when the cover is being appliedand the bolts 48 are turned. The cup-shaped member 41, as abovementioned, is. drilled and tapped in its base portion to receive thethreaded end 49 of the bolt 48. This arrangement permits ready insertionof the bolt 48 in the cup-shaped member 47 but prevents accidentaldislodgment of the bolt 43 from the cup-shaped member 41 when the boltis withdrawn from the nut 43.

vhen the bolt 48 is withdrawn from the nut 43 and the threaded end ofthe bolt is brought into engagement with the tapped holein the base ofthe cup member 41 the bolt 48 may be used as a handle to facilitateplacement or removal of the cover. The brackets 28 in addition toserving as supporting means for the bridle rings 36 and as supportingmeans for the nuts 43 for holding the cover 23 in place, also serve asguiding means for the cover when the cover is being applied or removed.For instance, lateral and vertical movements of the cover 23 are limitedby the particular form and location of the brackets 28 so that strikingof apparatus parts mounted on the panel board 22 by the cover 23 isprevented. The brackets 23 shown in Fig. 1 are of slightly less widththan the smaller covers. They can be made in larger widths, however, forthe larger covers or two brackets of the smaller width may be providedat each end of a panel board 22. On Fig. 3 for instance the bracket 28is much narrower than the panel board 22 and is applied to the upperleft corner of the panel board. In this case another bracket 28 would beapplied to the lower left corner of the panel board and correspondingbrackets 28 would be applied to the right end of the panel board. Thisarrangement would take care of a cover of larger size such as shown at53 in Fig. 1. Four bolts 48 would be required in this case to hold thecover in place, each of the bolts 48 entering a nut 43.

The posts 2 and 3 shown in Fig. 1 and constructed, as shown in Fig. 5,in addition to serving as supports for the panel boards 22 also serve asenclosures for wires leading to and from the apparatus supported on thepanel boards 22. Incoming wires'5l are led longitudinally of and withinthe post 2 to required panel boards 22. At the position of the panelboards the wire is led through the open front portion of the post andbetween the walls 29 and 30 of the bracket 28 to the front of the panelboard. Outgoing wires 52 are led longitudinally of and within the post 3from the panel board 22. Some of the wires carry higher potentials thanthe others and it is advantageous to have the higher potential wiresseparated from those of lower potential. As shown in Fig. 5, forinstance, the higher potential wires 53 are arranged in a group in onecorner of the post 2. The lower potential wires 54 are loosely arrangedin the remaining area of the post 2. In order to hold the higherpotential wires 53 in the required corner of the post 2 fingers 55 areprovided at spaced intervals in the post. The fingers'55 are made ofmaterial sufliciently flexible to permit manual bending of the fingers.about a lated conductor wires.

group of wires 53 but sufiiciently stiff to retain the form in whichthey are set. Rather soft wire or band iron, for instance, may be usedfor the material of the fingers 55. The finger 55 is anchored at one endto one arm of the angle-bar 1 and is bent in an are about the group ofwires 53 and extends over to the rearwardly extending end of the wall 9of the angle-bar 1. An opening is provided in the anchored end of thefinger 55 to receive the screw l1 and this end of the finger is clampedby means of the screw l1 between the bracket l5 and angle-bar 1 of thepost structure. The reason for making the finger 55 of materialsufficiently flexible to be manually bent to required form is tofacilitate the running of the wires within the post structure and topermit ready access to the wires confined in the corner portion of thepost when repairs or alterations are required.

It will be seen that the posts 2 and 3 used in the supporting structurefor the electrical apparatus serve as enclosures for a large number ofwires and that the wires are loosely arranged in the posts, that meansare provided to hold one group of wires separate from the other wiresand that no sewing of the wires is required.

As above mentioned, the supporting structure may be used to supportelectrical apparatus employed in a carrier telephone system. In a systemof this type the wires 53 and 54 may comprise insulated conductorssurrounded by a metal sleeve serving as an electrical shield for theinsulated wires enclosed therein. In some cases the metal sleeve may beenclosed in an outer covering of insulating material. In other cases themetal sleeve may be entirely bare. The metal sleeve in some cases maybear against a common ground wire running parallel with the conductorwires enclosed in the sleeve along with the insu- Assuming merely forthe purpose of illustration and not in a limiting sense in connectionwith this invention that wires of the above-mentioned types are used inthe apparatus and that the wires 54 have bare metal sleeves enclosinginsulated wires and that the wires 53 have metal sleeves enclosinginsulated wires and a common ground wire bearing against the metalsleeve, the post 2 may be used as a common ground conductor between themetal sleeves and a conductor connected to ground. The loose arrangementof the wires 54 in the post structure 2 results in a condition where thebare sleeves of some of the wires are in contact with the post 2 and thebare sleeves of wires not in contact with the post are in contact withthe bare sleeves of other wires in contact with the post 2;

That is to say that because the wires 54 are not drawn taut in theirpassage longitudinally of and within the post 2 but are loosely arrangedand have inherent curved portions which bring them into contact withother wires at some point or points and that some of the wires lie withtheir bare sleeves against the metal post 2 each sleeve has either adirect or indirect electrical connection with the post 2. Assuming thatthe post 2 is connected to a suitable ground the bare metal sleeves ofthe conductors are ground connected to thisground by way of the post 2.Therefore, any stray capacitances occurring in the mass of wires locatedin the post 2 are led off to ground through the bare metal sleeves andthe post structure. The wires 53 may have an outer covering ofinsulating material over the metal sleeve or the sleeve may be devoid ofany outer covering. In the case where no outer covering of insulatingmaterial is provided the metal sleeves are ground connected through thepost 2 in the same manner as the wires 54, and some of them by way ofthe fingers 55. In Fig. 5 the wire 31 is a portion of one of the wires53 and is shown as having an outer covering 55 of insulating material, ametal sleeve 51, a common ground wire 58 and a pair of insulatedconductor wires 59, the metal sleeve 57 surrounding the insulated wires59 and being in contact with the common ground wire 58. The wire 58 iselectrically connected at 58 to a metal strap 6| clamped by means of ascrew 62 to the metal panel board 22. The metal panel board 22 is inelectrical connection with the post 2 since it is held fast thereto bymeans of the screw 24.

The frame I comprising the posts 2 and 3 as above mentioned is a singleframe and as previously pointed out may be disposed with its backportion against a wall since all apparatus parts requiring replacementor adjustment are disposed in the front portion of the frame. In thisstructure access may be had to the wires in the posts 2 and 3 byremoving the wall I4 of the post structure. Removal of the wall I4 maybe accomplished by first removing the covers 23 and then loosening thescrews I! and 2|. This will permit withdrawal of the wall l4 and thebrackets I5 from the rest of the post structure. In such cases where itbecomes necessary to bring the wires 53 out of the corner portion of thepost 2 the fingers 55 may be manually straightened to permit movement ofthe wires 53 from normal position.

Fig. 4 shows a development of the single frame above described into amultiple frame and the arrangement of two multiple frames in back toback relation to save floor space. Figs. 2 and 3 are portions of thestructure shown in Fig. 4. Certain portions of the structure shown inFig. 4 are identical with portions of the single frame shown in Fig. 1;also certain portions of Figs. 3 and 5 are identical with portions ofthe single frame structure and such portions have been described inconnection with the description of the single frame structure and withreference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The multiple frame shown in Fig. 4 comprises end frames '63 and one ormore intermediate frames 64 arranged side by side and coupled togetherthrough adjacent post structures. The number of frame portions enteringinto the multiple structure is unlimited except for floor spaceavailable and the requirements of the electrical system in which theframe is employed. The showing of one end frame 63, an intermediateframe 64 and a portion of a second intermediate frame 65 is sumcient,however, to an understanding of the invention. Each frame comprisesspaced posts and panel boards extending transversely between andconnected to the spaced posts. The posts at the two ends of the multipleframe are identical in structure with the posts 2 and 3 of the singleframe previously described. That is to say the post 2, shown in Fig. 4,is identical with the post 2, shown in Fig. 1, and there would be a post3 at the other end of the multiple frame shown in Fig. 4 correspondingto the post 3 in Fig. 1. The post 3 is not shown in Fig. 4 since thismultiple frame, as above mentioned, may be developed to an indefiniteextent and the invention can be clearly understood without showing thispart in the figure.

Each end frame in the multiple frame structure, as shown in Fig. 4,comprises an end.v post such as the post Z-and an inner post 86, theinner post 66 serving as one of the posts for the end frame 63 andalsoas one of the posts of the intermediate frame 64. y

'Each intermediate frame comprises spaced posts 65 and .61 and panelboards 22 extending transversely between the posts 86 and 61 andsupported thereby. The posts 56 and B1 are identical in structure andare constructed, as shown in Figs. 4, 2 and 3, Figs. 2 and 3 beingdetail showings of the post structure. Since the posts 85 and 81 areidentical in structure, the description of one will suffice for both.The post 66 comprises spaced upright angle-bars 68 and 68 which extendsubstantially the full length of the intermediateframe. The angle-bar 58has a front wall portion l8 and a rearwardly extending side wall portionH. Secured to the side wall H and extending rearwardly thereof is a wallmember 72 The wall member i2 is L-shaped in cross-section and comprisesa side wall portion '13 and a rear wall portion 14, the wall portion 14extending parallel with the front wall portion 18 of the angle-bar 68.has a front Wall portion. 15 and a rearwardly extending side wallportion '58. Secured to the side wall 18 and extending rearwardlythereof is a wall member ll. The wall member 11 is L- shaped incross-section and comprises a side wall portion 18 and a rear wallportion 19, the wall portion 19 extending parallel with the front wallportion 15 of the angle-bar G8. The wall portions 74 and 19 of therespective wall members 12 and '11 extend inwardly toward each otherwith their inner edge portions in alignment. The aligned edges of thewall portions 14 and 19 of the respective wall members 12 and TI arefrictionally held in position by means of a clamp 18 comprising a longflat bar l8 and a half-round bar 20 which are clamped about the alignededges of the wall portions M and 18 by means of screws 2|. The screws 2!are provided at spaced intervals along the clamp i8 and extend throughapertures provided in the flat bar 18 and into tapped holes in the halfround bar 28. The shank portions of the screws 2| pass between thealigned edges of the wall portions 18 and 18. It will be seen that asubstantially hollow post is cooperatively formed by the angle-bars 88,69 and the wall members '52 and H when the wall members 1'2 and "H areclamped in position by means of the clamp I8 but that the post structureis not completely closed at the front.

A removable metal plate 88 is located within the post structure 56:- andextends longitudinally through the central portion of the post 65 and inparallel with the wall portions 18 and 18 of the respective wall members12 and ll. The plate 88 is heldin position by means of angle brackets 81and 88 which are secured to the plate 80 and extend over from the plate88 to the respective angle-bars 88 and 89 and are secured in place onthe angle-bar structure by means of screws 83. The angle bracket 8|extends perpendicularly from one face of the plate 80 and has a portionformed in its free end to hook over the shank portion of a screw 83supported in the angle-bar 68. The angle bracket 82 extendsperpendicularly from the opposite face of the plate 88 and is notched onits free end to receive the shank portion of a screw 83 supported in theangle-bar 69. The angle brackets 81 and 82 are arranged in staggeredformation on the plate 88 and the free end of each angle bracket extendsThe angle-bar 68 over an apertured foot portion 84 of a flexible finger55 to clamp the foot portion 84 against the associated angle-bar. Theplate 88 divides the interior of the post 68 into two compartments andwhen electrically connected to a suitable ground'serves as a commonground for metal sleevesv and metal sleeves and associated ground wiresof wires running within the compartments. The wires running within thecompartments may be, for instance, as explained in connection with thesingle frame arrangement, insulated wires covered by a metal sleeve, themetal sleeve in some cases being devoid of any outer covering ofinsulating material and in other cases covered by insulating materialand having a ground wire held'in contact with the metal sleeve.

In each compartment in the post 66 certain wires required to beseparated from the others are held in one corner of the compartment bymeans of the metal fingers 55, the fingers 55 being anchored at one endto the angle-bars of the post structure and being bent to hold the wiresin the required corner portion of the post.

The plate 88 is made removable to permit access to be had to the wiresin the post 66. In order to maintain the wires in one compartmentseparate from those in the other when the plaate 88 is removed, guardmembers 85 are provided at spaced points in the post. The guard members85 are curved wire elements which extend substantially from back tofront of the post 66 at required points in the vicinity of the spacenormally occupied by the plate 80. One end of the guard 85 is forked at86 to enter spaced apertures 81 provided in the rear wall portion of thepost, the apertures 8'! being located adjacent the space occupied by thebar I 9 of the clamp l8. The other end of the guard 85 is curved overtoward an angle bar and is provided with a single pin portion 88 to fitinto an aperture 89 in the angle-bar. The guards 85 may be arranged inpairs .or set in staggered formation along the length of the post 66,half of the number of guards being disposed on one side of the plate 88and the other half disposed on the other side. One guard 85 for instanceis set on one side of the plate 88 and has its forked end engagedinapertures 81 provided in the back wall portion '14 and its pin portion88 engaged in the aperture 89 in the angle-bar 68. Another guard 85 isdisposed on the opposite side of the plate 80 and has its forked endengaged in apertures 81 in the back wall portion 19 and its pin portion88 engaged in an aperture 89 in the angle-bar 69. The guard 85 is madeflexible to permit its being sprung into place and held by springtension in position. The aperture 89 in the angle-bar G8 is not indirect alignment with the location of the apertures 81 but is offsettherefrom due to the difference in width of the Wall 18 of the angle-barand the back wall portion 14 of the wall member 12. The guard 85 doesnot extend in a straight line from the apertures 81 to the aperture 89but takes a course substantially parallel with the plate 80 for thegreater portion of the length of the guard and then bends toward theangle-bar to a point of meeting with the aperture 88. The straightportion of the guard 85 is made double the cross-sectional area of thecurved portion so that when the guard is sprung over to meet theaperture 89 most of the bending action is in the curved portion of theguard. As shown in the drawings the guard 85 may be made of twodifferent lengths of wire extending in parallel relation through thecentral portions and being secured together, the longer length extendingbeyond the shorter one and being curved and terminating in the pinportion 88. The two lengths of wire are spread apart at the end oppositeto the pin portion 88 to form the forked end 86. As shown in Fig. 4 oneguard 85 extends from the back portion of the post from a point adjacentthe left side of the clamp l8 and is sprung over to meet the anglebar68, the pin portion 88 being set in the aperture 89 shown in Fig. 2.Another guard 85 extends from the back portion of the post from a pointadjacent the right side of the clamp l8 and is sprung over to meet theangle-bar 69. With the guards 85 set in the positions indicated, thewires running through the post will be maintained separated into twomain groups even when the plate 80 is removed to gain access to thewires in the post.

In the multiple frame above described, vacuum tubes and other electricalapparatus parts requiring replacement from time to time are mounted onthe front face of the panel boards 22. Other electrical apparatus partssuch, for instance, as fixed resistances and condensers and notrequiring replacement except on very rare occasions are mounted on theback face of the panel boards 22. The multiple frame structure,therefore, may be placed with the back portion against a wall of abuilding or may be placed back to back with another multiple frame, asshown in Fig. 4, to save floor space. Wires leading to and from thepanel boards are led through the hollow post structures. Incoming wiresto the panel boards in the end frame 63 are led through the post 2.Outgoing wires from the end frame 63 are led through the left-handportion of the post 66. Incoming wires to the intermediate frame 64 areled through the right-hand portion of the post 66. Outgoing wires fromthe intermediate frame 64 are led through the left-hand portion of thepost 61.

All local wiring for each panel extends across the front face of thepanel boards. Since covers are applied over the front faces of the panelboards, the heat generated by the vacuum tubes is maintained in thevicinity of the wiring to keep the wires dry.

What is claimed is:

1. In a frame for supporting panels of electrical apparatus a hollowpost comprising an anglebar, a Wall member L-shaped in cross-sectionattached to said angle-bar and extending rearwardly thereof, a secondwall member spaced from said first-mentioned wall member and having anedge portion aligned with an edge portion of said first wall member anda clamp engaging the aligned edge portions of said wall members, saidclamp comprising two rods arranged parallel to each other and screwsengaging said rods.

2. In a frame for supporting panels of electrical apparatus, a poststructure comprising spaced side walls, a rear wall portion extendingangularly from one of said side walls, an edge portion on the other sidewall, said edge portion extending angularly from the side wall intoalignment with said rear wall portion, a clamp frictionally holding saidedge and said rear wall portion in aligned position and said clampcomprising a flat bar and a half-round bar and screws engaging said barsto hold said bars clamped about the aligned edge and rear wall portions.

3. In a frame for supporting panels of electrical apparatus a hollowpost comprising spaced L- shaped wall members arranged to cooperativelyform two spaced walls and two aligned spaced rear wall portions and aclamp engaging said wall members and holding the rear wall portions inaligned position and completing the rear wall portion of the structure.

4. In a support for electrical apparatus, end frames and an intermediateframe disposed in endwise alignment and comprising panel boardssupporting electrical apparatus parts, spaced 1101- low posts supportingsaid panel boards and joining said end frames to said intermediate frameand each of said hollow posts comprising wall members L-shaped incross-section, a clamp frictionally holding edge portions of said wallmembers in alignment to form a back wall of said post, a plate extendinglongitudinally of and within the central portion of said post andbrackets attached to said plate and removably attached to said wallmembers.

ANTHONY J. WIER.

